about our stewardship ministry

The mission of CCV’s Stewardship Ministry is helping people honor and serve God's plans and purposes through the wise and generous use of financial resources.

When it comes to finances, sadly, many people have a terrible impression of how churches ask for money and spend money.  At CCV, we consider it a core value to exemplify godly stewardship of our financial resources, and to help people do that with their own personal finances as well.  We want to use the resources people generously give to our ministry in a way that demonstrates absolute integrity, as well as wisdom and generosity.  This is the ministry focus of CCV's Stewardship Ministry team, led by Chris Ahlin.   

Many people are surprised to learn that Jesus spoke about money quite frequently.  He saw it as an important tool in the hands of his followers for honoring and serving God.  He recognized that it can easily become an idol in people's lives, and that recognizing God as our ultimate provider means using our resources in godly ways.  He also challenged people to give generously to the ministry of God's kingdom and to the needs of the poor.  As these examples indicate, to follow Jesus faithfully clearly means aiming to honor him with how we use our finances, both personally and as a local church.  

To that end, as a non-profit organization, CCV has financial policies in place that provide appropriate accountability and transparency.  Our financial records are open to examination by any member of the church, and subject to the quarterly review of our Church Board.  Our book-keeper is trained in proper accounting practices.  We are also pursuing 501(c)3 status with the IRS, even though it is not required for non-profit corporations in the State of Michigan.    

Perhaps even more importantly, as a local church we are also committed to giving generously to the work of God's kingdom beyond our own local ministry. For example, we believe in the principle of tithing at least 10% of our income to missions and ministries outside of CCV.  We also prioritize helping people in need in our local community, particularly within the immediate neighborhood where our Ministry Center is located.  These practices demonstrate in practical ways what it means for us to use our money to serve God's purposes, rather than letting money become a false god.    

As for helping people within our community practice stewardship themselves, we have used the curriculum materials of Crown Financial Ministries as a helpful tool for imparting biblical practices.  From time to time, we aim to continue offering this course in personal financial management as a small group opportunity for people to learn and implement godly stewardship of their own resources.